The process of a life skills-based nutrition education program and impact on upper grade students in elementary schools were evaluated with regard to their knowledge, attitude, behavior while eating snacks and breakfast, and self-esteem. The subjects for this study were students from two elementary schools in Osaka prefecture. The students in the intervention school participated in a nutrition education program between the second trimester of the fifth grade and the first trimester of the sixth grade that focused on eating healthier snacks and eating breakfast every day. Questionnaires were completed by the students in the intervention and control schools before and after the program. A total of 160 students (88 in the intervention school and 72 in the control school) participated in the survey. A chi-square test, t-test, McNemar test, and Wilcoxon signed-ranks test were used to examine the effects of the program. The statistical significance level was 0.05.
Although the teachers could implement well the program for eating healthier snacks, they pointed out the need to reexamine the process and worksheets of the program for eating breakfast. The overall program had a positive effect on nutritional and behavioral knowledge and on the self-control of students in selecting healthy snacks. However, it did not change to the expected extent the intake of oily snacks, attitude and behavior toward eating breakfast, and self-esteem. These results suggest that the program should be revised to improve life skills including decision-making and goal-setting abilities among elementary school students, and to strengthen the relationship between schools and families.
